What Books do you want?

Games Discussion Ars Magica
41

I realize it's been stated a couple of times that a couple of people would like to see a book that moves off to the far east. I'm one to agree.

With a setting of 1220 AD, the travels of Polo are not far off.

I think it would be great to explore Mythic China and Japan, and see mythic Taoist magic, and the Onmyoji of Japan.

Wizards such as Zuo Ci and Togo of the Wu kingdom...or perhaps the wonderous things found in the journey of Sanzang (known to some as "Genjo Sanzo") and his three demons Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing (aka: Son Goku, Cho Hakkai and Sha Gojyo respectively). The magics of Abe no Seimei (No relation to certain annoying board users...) from Japan are legendary, as well.

The east has a wealth of magic, history, and mythology. While there is almost no real Dominion presence, there are strong infernal, magical, and faerie presence there. I think it would make a wonderful sourcebook if done right.

Other than that, I'd like to see tribunal books released. A grimoire would be great. Anything that introduces new rules, options, magic, etc. to Ars Magica is fine by me.

Personally, I live on splatbooks and sourcebooks. "How to" books, or "setting" books with no mechanical applications to the game I have no use for.

My group plays a high fantasy saga, anyways. I'm aware that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but we enjoy it all the same.

42

Heh.

As stated round about before. How about a Order of Hermes book? ONe half that describes the Order's fonding from ALL House perspectives, nbot just Bonisagus like in Their House book.

BUt most importanlty. The last half. a Comprehensive study and application there-of of the Code. Peripheral included.

List the rulings with a little marker at each end. Which Tribunal. Which year, and what part of the Main Code it applies to.

I don't know about you. but honestly a LARGE part of my games break down to mages throwing arguments, OOC and IC, constantly at each other about what they can or cannot "Get away with" based on the code.

Then again. I have a larger than average portion of players who find it insanely interesting to either stretch the code to the breaking point(and killing of those who cacth them when they do), or trying to ally themselves with either Fae or Infernal powers and dominate the world. Seems to me they want a road to anything BUT being Hermetic Magi.

A full discourse on the Code. far more than what we have, close to what was in the 4td Ed Grimiore, only bigger, would be nice.

43

Just as a matter of interest, how many people would like to see updated versions of older Ars books, like the old tribunal books, Hedge Magic, Medieval Tapestry, Medieval Bestiary (which seems to be a popular choice) and so forth? Myself and others have updated a few bits and pieces from our works in a sporadic fashion in the new supplements and on the web (the updated sahir rules are still in progress, but my job keeps getting in the way :frowning:), but how about a systematic overhaul? I guess the major appeal would be the updated stats and rules, even if the background was unchanged, so what I'm really asking about is whether people would pay to avoid having to do the conversion work themselves...

I suspect this suggestion is going to get booed out of court, but just to put the cat among the pigeons...

Hmmm, mixing metaphors somewhat; is that Muto Imaginem or Muto Mentem? :smiling_imp:

44

Having seen all the good ideas here and now having the peek preview of Ancient Magic, getting an impression on what it is and isnt, here are what I would like the most:

The Order of Hermes.
An overview of the Order, its movers and shakers, and the Tribunals. Just a short tour of Mythic Europe and how the tribunals look and work. More on the background of the Order. Chapters dedicated the Cult of Mercury, the Germeanic traditions and most of all the Diedne. And give us loads of plothooks. I really like the great use of plothooks in 5th material and especially the Fallen Fane included many hooks that could be introduced here or expanded upon. I see this book as a home for plothooks involving turning events for the Order as a whole. In depths highlights of Hermetic history. The Sundering, and surely the Schism War. It really seems from this thread that there is plenty of interest in the Schism War. A pity that my Schism War-themed saga will probably be over before we see anything on it, but I would still be like a kid at the christmas tree for getting my paws on such a book.

The Wizards Grimoire
I realise that much of the material in the former Grimoires have been adopted to many of the existing 5th books or become obsolete with the new rules. But there is still a lot of the material that might be updated and new stuff to be added. And more plot hooks here aswell.

The book of Illuminations
I am very visual. I love going to places and museums of medieval history. And I also have quite a collection of props and visual aides I never know if I will ever get to use in a session, but just in case.. I can't help buying them. And I often spend time working with graphics and layout to produce handouts, again because I love to have some kinds of off-set for your imagination. That is why I would love a book ripe with great artwork showing the daily life of magi, documents, correspondances between sodales, illustrations from labnotes and in-setting illuminations. The better a medieval feel the merrier! This book could also include small stories in themselves - not RPG stories, but short stories which might very well inspire aswell, but stories foremost.

"a Fallen Fane-sequel"
Well actually not a sequel, but just another interesting live scenario. Live scenarios are a bit harder to make yourself than the regular stories we are doing on a regular basis. Fallen Fane was a very interesting and well done scenario. Half of my troupe actually backed our bags and went across the country for a few days to play Fallen Fane with some other Ars-troupes. Added to that I think live scenarios are a great way to play certain aspects of life in the Order - Tribunals being the most obvious thing - and it is also a great avenue to introduce new players to the game (as they only have to learn the setting and not the rule mechanics).

On top of this I would also give support to a short introductionary booklet including introduction to the setting, some of the rules, and an introduction story. This need not be terribly advanced or expensive printing, actually the better if it wasn't, but something we might advocate or distribute to local friends, networks, clubs, FLGS and conventions.

45

There is? From the WGRE? What?

Longevity potion modifications > Lesser Elixer in Mysteries Revised

Research > true lineages

Optimized spells > spell mastery rules

Faerie magic > new faerie magic

Criamon Imprints > enchanting tatoos in Mystery Cults and inscription on the soul in Mysteries Revised

Farie Familiars > Mystery Cults

Lab Personalization > Covenants

Expanded book Rules > Covenants

Missives > house books

New spells and Items > Many of these were horrible. We've got better resources in the house books and on Yair's Wiki. In addition there is an open call for spells and items that tells us that at the time the call was made they don't expect the book to be pulished later than the end of 2008.

What else was there in the WGRE that you think could be reworked? The character templates?

46

Hmmm... that more or less only leaves the Index :smiley:

Well I just took another look at the former Grimoires, and they were certainly cannibalized (in a very positive sense!) to a greater extent then I had realised. Strike the "lot of material" reference from my post. And the templates and little tidbits here and there doesnt justify a new grimoire, so maybe it is just a sense of nostalgia that misses a title of Grimoire in the splendid 5th edition. Taking the Grimoire out of the equation I would as my fourth book go with Berengar suggestion for a "Castles & Battles".

47

Oh I just recalled. There was a monsterously huge shape and material bonus table in there. I'd definately give a vote for reworking that thing for fifth.

48

Why dont you use the old Shape and Material boni? :wink:

49

Others have said it but I'd like to write it too - help for the Storyguide.

One problem I have, with a relatively new saga where most of the players have not played Ars before is that are rightly asking me who their contacts are, where have they been etcetera. A "guide to the order" for players would be good - details some covenants and mages but not in great detail (it may even be "wrong" in places). This I could let the players access without spoiling any surprises or plots.

50

I also vote for the enemies and Tribunal books.

And if we are talking about 2009, maybe a good idea would be a complete premade saga (more or less like Mistridge or Triamore), in order to atract new players.

51

Something like Triamore would be good but not presented in the same narrative style. I find Triamore frustrating because:

a) the same subject is probably covered in 3 places, in each of which is 75% of the information BUT NOT ALL OF IT
b) it is not easy to separate out parts to give the players from those not to
c) "true" history seems to have been corrupted more than necessary to provide an interesting plot background.

52

d) In Triamore there are at least three completely separate plots afoot within twenty five miles of the covenant which will destroy the Order and the world as we know it. I don't go for that Marvel Comics style of plotting in Ars Magica, although I love the Avengers.

53

Long time gone from the forums, but my campaign is finally starting up again, so I'll pitch in my opinions here. :slight_smile:

I would love to see more Tribunal Books, especially Thebes. A book on nobles and warfare, kinda like Ordo Nobilis, would also be nice.

Also, one idea I've had for some time is a for a book that helps the Storyguide creating really long campaigns, with generations of characters, or campaigns set in different time periods. This could detail technology and society (Hermetic and Mundane) both past and future. So you would have rules for plate mail and even gunpowder, or maybe even information on how to play a campaign in the very founding of the order. Magic that would bend or break the rules of time would also be detailed. In short, a book about different time periods in Ars Magica, and how to advance time.

E.

54

I'd just like them to be available to new players

seconded

55

Thirded

56

Fourthed

57

I'm thinking that the Iberian and Roman tribunals could use a revision - once the demand for the yet unpublished tribunal books has been exhausted. Id like some more Mythic Places (Living Lore, Faerie Stories...) better than a conventional RPG bestiary (and the Magic/Faerie book might fill that role in part already).

58

This is a really good thread; thanks to everyone.

I think I'll hold off on planning a Bestiary until all the Realm books are out, and I know whether people still want one then. If you do, you'll also know exactly what you want, which will make it easier. (Assuming that everyone doesn't want different things. Which may not be a terribly safe assumption.)

An enemies book looks like a popular option, so something along those lines may well appear. A "nobles and warfare" book was already on my list of possibilities, so that's a very likely prospect. Something approximating a ready-to-run adventure, as well. And more Tribunal books; for what it's worth, my personal inclination is to do Thebes. We can't manage 300 pages, though. And a saga advice book, covering troupe style and powerful magi. I'm not quite sure how we'd do the last one, but I'll think about it.

Furion: I'm glad you liked Fallen Fane. Alas, I've seen the sales figures... Medium-scale live action scenarios do not appear to have a large market.

Thanks for all the ideas so far. I can't promise that any of these books will appear, and certainly can't say anything about when, but this has been very useful for me. Feel free to post more ideas and suggestions, as well.

59

You could open up the game to different eras and geographical regions. The obvious examples would be an Oriental version of Ars Magica, or a Rennaissance version.

The other major enemy I'd like to see is a fire-breathing, Mythic version of the Mongol empire. In fact, I'd like to see an epic campaign written about encountering such a ferocious but exotic foe. Their empire was, in fact, quite short lived even though it threatened to totally overrun the entire know world at the time. Maybe the PC's could have had something to do with that behind the scenes?

Oh, and a new equivalent of A Medieval Tapestry for a good list of NPCs/example characters would be nice.

60

What about Mythic Japan?